Want to turn your favorite hobby into a business? From home improvement to music, here's a look at some of the best hobbies for making money.

It's never been a better time to think about turning your hobby -- that thing you're passionate about doing -- into a viable, money-generating business. In fact, according to a recent consumer survey conducted by the software-maker Intuit, about one in five people (17 percent) have actively worked on starting their own business in the past year. But, before you take the plunge and decide to turn your hobby into a business, you should make sure it's something you really love and are willing to put endless hours into, according to Robin Ryan, a career counselor and author of What to Do with the Rest of Your Life. "You should also think carefully about whether you have the financial resources to start the business -- for instance, whether you can run it out of your home or need retail space," she says. "And make sure there is enough demand to build a profitable company."

While there are certain tax forms and other formalities that every business owner must go through once they are up and running (check out our 5 Things You Need to Know section), the good news is that the Web has made it cheaper and easier than ever to turn your favorite hobby into a business.

So what are the best hobbies for making money? Here's a look at some "hobbypreneurs" and the hobbies they turned into businesses.

Scrapbooker

Not only can it pay to sell your scrapbook creations online through sites like Etsy and eBay, you can also become a creative consultant like Tara McCormack of Tigard, Ore., who helps inspire and teach others how to profit from their hobby by holding weekly classes and workshops at her home as well as.

Coach

If your passions include skill-based activities like working out at the gym or speaking a foreign language, you might be able to find people willing to pay you to coach them. Turn your weightlifting or marathon prowess into a personal-training or running-coach business.

Masseuse

Not only do most people like to receive massages -- they are also willing to pay for them. Just ask Cameo Person, who, after working at a day spa, decided to launch her own mobile massage business, Indulge Mobile Spa, that allows her customers to relax in their own home while enjoying a "spa party," which can include massages, pedicures, and facials.

Chef

Many people like to kick back and experiment in their kitchens after spending a long day at the office. When Marlene Baroli-Turati was laid off from her corporate job last year, however, she decided to turn her kitchen into her office by making handcrafted jams, jellies, and microwave potato pouches and selling them at boutiques, festivals, and online at. Jill Frechtman, on the other hand, started making her chocolate-covered pretzels as a holiday gift for her co-workers at the advertising agency she worked at in New York. After receiving much praise for them, Frechtman left her ad job to launch Fretzels.

Handyman

Many people spend their nights and weekends fixing up their homes or spending time in their workshops tinkering about. So, why not turn those skills into a business? A woodworking enthusiast could, for instance, start a business repairing or building fences or decks. Or, someone with more all around interests can launch a home-improvement business. Take, for example, Bob Williams, who traded in his corporate MBA seven years ago for the chance to launch his own business specializing in refurbishing kitchen and bathrooms called, Red Oak Renovations in Ayer, Mass.

[1] [2] 下一页